The 2011 NIT Tournament is scheduled to begin Tuesday, with each higher-ranked team hosting a home game. Every game airs on one ESPN or another, with the final two rounds played in New York City's Madison Square Garden.
Alabama, Boston College, Colorado, and Virginia Tech earned No. 1 seeds after just missing the 2011 NCAA Tournament bracket. All but BC had very good arguments for entry into March Madness, with the Hokies omission clearly the most egregious.
Dayton won the 2010 NIT, and will be looking to repeat. Bobby Cremins' College of Charleston squad stands in the way, and also gives the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets fan something to root for. Georgia Bulldogs fans, who ya got? Coastal Carolina?
Tournament Schedule:
- March 15-16: First Round, various ESPNs, home locations
- March 18-21: Second Round, various ESPNs, home locations
- March 22 (ESPN), 23 (ESPN2): Quarterfinals, 7 pm and 9 pm, home locations
- March 29: Semifinals, 7 pm and 9:30 pm, ESPN2, Madison Square Garden
- March 31: Championship Game, 7 pm, ESPN2, Madison Square Garden
Left bracket:
- No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide vs. No. 8 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, Tuesday at 7 pm, ESPNU
- No. 4 New Mexico Lobos vs. No. 5 UTEP Miners, Tuesday at 9 pm, ESPN2
- No. 3 Missouri State Bears vs. No. 6 Murray State Racers, Tuesday at 8 pm, ESPN3
- No. 2 Miami Hurricanes vs. No. 7 Florida Atlantic Owls, Wednesday at 7:30 pm, ESPN3
- No. 1 Colorado Buffaloes vs. No. 8 Texas Southern, Wednesday at 7 pm, ESPN3
- No. 4 California Golden Bears vs. No. 5 Mississippi Rebels, Wednesday at 9 pm, ESPN2
- No. 3 Colorado St. Rams vs. No. 6 Fairfield Stags, Tuesday at 9 pm, ESPN3
- No. 2 St. Mary's Gaels vs. No. 7 Kent St. Golden Flashes, Tuesday at 11 pm, ESPN2
Right bracket:
- No. 1 Boston College Eagles vs. 8 McNeese St. Cowboys, Tuesday at 9 pm, ESPNU
- No. 4 Northwestern Wildcats vs. No. 5 Milwaukee Panthers, Wednesday at 8 pm, ESPN3
- No. 3 Oklahoma St. Cowboys vs. No. 6 Harvard Crimson, Tuesday at 7 pm, ESPN
- No. 2 Washington St. Cougars vs. No. 7 Long Beach St. 49ers, Wednesday at 10 pm, ESPNU
- No. 1 Virginia Tech Hokies vs. No. 8 Bethune-Cookman Wildcats, Wednesday at 8 pm, ESPNU
- No. 4 Wichita St. Shockers vs. No. 5 Nebraska Cornhuskers, Wednesday at 7 pm, ESPN2
- No. 3 Dayton Flyers vs. No. 6 Charleston Cougars, Tuesday at 7 pm, ESPN2
- No. 2 Cleveland St. Vikings vs. No. 7 Vermont Catamounts, Tuesday at 7 pm, ESPN3
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